Find Trucking Jobs

Trucking Timeline: Vintage and Antique Truck Guide

Truck enthusiasts know their makes and models. Many people have no clue why they love pickup trucks, except that they look and feel rugged while on the road. The modern pickup truck evolved from optional add-on beds to full-sized vehicles that serve to provide utilitarian value and an increased self-image. Some trucking enthusiasts fail to find satisfaction with modern pickup trucks, insomuch that they would rather restore vintage pickup trucks to enjoy the road. Therefore, it helps to know the historical origins of the vintage truck that needs restoration.

The Origin and Evolution of the Pickup Truck: Early Makes and Models

Gottlieb Daimler invented “vehicle no. 42” in 1896. Many truck enthusiasts cite “vehicle no. 42,” a horseless wagon, as the first truck. Daimler’s invention had a 4 horsepower, 1.1 liter, 2 cylinder engine that supposedly hauled 3,300 pounds. Skeptics believe that Daimler over-exaggerated the payload potential of “vehicle no. 42.” Daimler invented a 10-horsepower truck that boasted a top speed of 7.5 miles per hour. These lackluster results rarely convinced businessmen, farmers, and ranchers to turn over their draft horses and wagon for a pickup truck. The earliest factory-built models entered the market during the early 1900s, including the King, Reo, Autocar, and the 20-horsepower Auto Wagon.

After the introduction of mass-produced automobiles, people started to modify their vehicles for enhanced utility. These people stripped off the rear bodywork and mounted open-topped boxes that resembled the first step towards the modern pickup truck. Ford Motor Company capitalized on this concept with the Model-T by offering consumers the choice to add-on a bed. Ford started selling the complete factory-built Model-T Runabout with Pickup Body in 1925. In 1928, Ford introduced the Model-A, a robust alternative to the Model-T pickup truck. The Model-A pickup truck featured luxuries never seen before, such as an all steel cab and roll up windows.

Chevrolet started producing trucks in 1918. The earliest Chevrolet models resembled conventional automobiles with no rear body frame. Buyers had to install their own bed to complete it as a truck. Chevrolet produced its first factory-assembled pickup truck in 1931. The Dodge Brothers offered the mid-20’s 3/4-ton model on the market after the Graham Brothers built it. Chrysler Corporation produced the ’29, or the first 1/2-ton Dodge pickup truck. Japan produced its first pickup truck in 1922. Toyota manufactured the Model G1 in 1935.

During the 1930s, automobiles had ample ground clearance and rigid chassis until manufacturers started producing them lower to the pavement. This change made it impossible to convert standard automobiles into a truck by simply adding a bed. Meanwhile, automakers introduced eclectically decorated pickup trucks in showrooms, such as the Hudson Terraplane. During the Second World War, the United States government halted the production of privately owned trucks. Automakers however, leaped back at the opportunity to produce pickup trucks during the Post-War era. Chevrolet introduced the ’47 model, which sparked Ford to follow with the release of the first F-Series pickup truck.

During the 1950s, consumers started purchasing pickup trucks to improve their self-image. This shifted perspectives on the utilitarian value of pickup trucks to one focused solely on aesthetic appeal. Ford responded by manufacturing a conventional automobile with a grafted pickup bed. Chevrolet manufactured the El Camino, a new pickup that failed to meet the new desires of the public. Automakers began to realize that Americans wanted medium-sized pickup trucks. Japan introduced the miniature pickup truck three decades after the advent of the first mass-produced pickup trucks. Toyota built the Toyopet Model SB a small pickup truck in 1947. Toyota did not enter the U.S. pickup market until 1965, when the company introduced the Stout.

In 1969, Toyota introduced the Hi-Lux; however, its features failed to prove luxurious for most consumers. Toyota continued this brand name until 1975 before it introduced the “Pickup.” Toyota revolutionized the compact pickup truck market in 1995, when the company debuted the Tacoma. Unlike previous truck models, Toyota designed and produced the Tacoma in the state of California. It introduced a new level of style unseen in its performance class.

Low gas prices and a booming economy prompted many Americans to purchase larger pickup trucks during the early 1990s. Toyota responded by building the less than full-sized T100 in 1993. In 2000, Toyota debuted the Tundra, a full-sized pickup truck powered by a V8 engine. The Toyota Tundra became the industry’s first full-sized import model line that satisfied American tastes. In 2004, Toyota revamped the Tundra by making it bigger with a double cab. Today, the pickup truck market continues to evolve; however, most people see beyond its utilitarian value. In fact, many pickup enthusiasts choose their trucks as a means of personal transportation, rather than transporting cargo. Truck enthusiasts love the rugged image and luxuries that pickups offer them.

Truck enthusiasts may develop an interest for vintage and antique models. Many restore vintage trucks by purchasing rare body and mechanical parts. Rapid innovation has made it difficult to preserve the dynamic history of trucks, including its pioneers who pushed forward the evolution of the trucking industry. As a result, many vintage and antique organizations have formed to preserve these models for keepsakes. These organizations remain dedicated to preserving vintage and antique trucks by connecting scores of enthusiasts to share their restored vehicles. Many of these organizations have local chapters in the United States and across the world.